SWISS FLOWERS. 53 



varies, and is sometimes little more than silken hairs at the 

 points of the leaves. It scarcely seems worth while, on 

 account of this difference, to set up a new variety. With 

 these little rosettes it fills the chinks of rocks, adorning 

 their grey surface with large patches, formed by the 

 suckers it throws out all around, that are often of a yel- 

 lowish colour, tipped with pink and purple, the smaller of 

 which have much the appearance of some of the Stonecrops. 

 The flower-stem, from four to six inches high, rises from one 

 of the rosettes, with its alternate, lumpy, fleshy leaves, and 

 bears a crowded, irregular head of flowers, which usually 

 do not all open at the same time. Their colour is scarcely 

 pink, scarcely scarlet, but something between the two, and, 

 when coming out in the full sunshine, they are so brilliant 

 as scarcely to fail of attracting attention. There is something 

 about their shape and brilliancy which reminds one of the 

 brightest of Sea- Anemones. The flower is about an inch 

 across, with from nine to twelve pointed petals, having a 

 deeper coloured line down the centre. The stamens, some 

 with a yellow anther, others abortive, vary from eighteen to 

 twenty-four. It may be very easily grown, but its blos- 

 soms do not look the same in England as in Switzerland. 

 It is not uncommon on the rocks of the high Alps : 

 Little St. Bernard, Maderaner Thai, Andermatt, Saas- 

 Valley, &c. 



